Kijombo , the second album by Yasser Tejeda —is an invitation into one of the world’s true hidden treasures: the vast landscape of roots music from the Dominican Republic, here re-imagined by guitarist Yasser Tejeda into compositions tinged by jazz, funk and rock, and performed by musical heavyweights from the Dominican Republic and New York. The Dominican Republic has produced two genres of music which have become among the most popular in Latin America—merengue and bachata. But beyond those sounds there is a tapestry of roots music styles that draw from the country’s Afro-Caribbean heritage, as well as influences from Spain and elements from the indigenous cultures that predate colonization. These traditions range from the interlocking drums of palos , to the Haitian-influenced mobile dance party known as gagá , to the mind-numbing accordion shreds of perico ripiao , just to name a few. In many cases, these styles of music are connected to African-descended spiritual practices, and have often been practiced just out of sight of forces in Dominican society that sought to repress them. The 11 songs on this album are a journey through a history of Dominican musical resilience. Each song thoughtfully fuses a different Dominican roots rhythm or genre with elements from beyond the island. For example, in “Pa’ Villa Mella,” the band draws a trans-Atlantic line between the Dominican congo rhythm and the snaking figures of Congolese guitar. There’s rich storytelling, as in “Amor Arrayano”—featuring Latin Grammy-winner Vicente García— which transforms a chorus from Afro-Dominican ritual music into a love song that takes place across the Haitian–Dominican border. There’s undeniable musicianship, as found in “Mambodega,” a funky and virtuosic take on merengue, or in “Swing Ripiao,” a típico track featuring accordion maestro El Prodigio. And there are poignant political statements, as in “Salve Electrica,” which flips the sacred salve song form into a meditation on being an immigrant to the U.S. in a time of upheaval. If it seems like Yasser Tejeda converses in all these musical idioms with ease, it’s because they do. Bandleader Yasser Tejeda has been one of the central figures in the Dominican roots revival scene in recent years, cutting his chops as a sideman in the Dominican Republic with alternative legends like Xiomara Fortuna, Luis Días and Tony Vicioso. After a stint at Berklee School of Music, Tejeda now resides in New York, where he’s put together a powerhouse of musicians for the latest incarnation of the band, including roots percussionist Jonathan Troncoso, drummer Otoniel Vargas and bass player Kyle Miles. The name of this album comes from the word quijombo , which refers to the gathering where palos drums are played, among other meanings.The quijombo is a place where the mystical and the musical intersect. Where family and friends come to drink rum and dance and sing in cultural resistance. It’s a place that is little discussed in the Dominican Republic, but always there. And just like a quijombo , this album from Yasser Tejeda & Palotré is a space of roots and rootedness, where traditions live and yet are constantly being updated, and where everybody is invited to come in and connect to a world beyond our reach.